Assured: Ali's century was the third fastest by an Englishman in ODI history

Moeen Ali's maiden one-day international hundred, the third-fastest in England's history, was in vain in a 25-run defeat against Sri Lanka at the Premadasa Stadium.

Moeen (119) got England off to a brilliant start in pursuit of their highest successful run chase in this format, after Tillakaratne Dilshan (88) had underpinned the hosts' 317 for six in the first match of seven.

But after hitting 11 fours and five sixes, the opener was sixth out with the score on 203 in the 31st over of this day-night fixture - and despite a fine hand by Ravi Bopara (65) in a near run-a-ball half-century, the equation proved beyond him.

Bopara was last out, caught in the leg-side deep with 2.5 overs unused, and England therefore began their World Cup winter with an honourable near miss.

Captain Alastair Cook twice escaped on nought thanks to DRS, to his opposite number Angelo Mathews' third and fourth ball of the innings, after local umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge gave him out lbw both times.

Cook was to fall lbw nonetheless, for 10, pushing forward to the first delivery from Dilshan - and has now scored just one half-century in his last 17 ODI innings.

But Moeen had already powered England past 50 in only five overs - beginning as in last week's win over Sri Lanka A in his first attempt as Cook's new opening partner with a four from the first ball he faced, and then adding seven more in successive overs.

He and Ian Bell took the total to three figures but a rush of three wickets for 17 runs undermined England.

Moeen did not let up - twice hitting Rangana Herath over midwicket for six in the same over - despite the loss of Bell, caught at slip off the impressive Thisara Perera.

The medium-pacer also had Joe Root edging behind cheaply, and Eoin Morgan continued his disappointing recent ODI form when he edged Ajantha Mendis on to his stumps.

England were stuttering when Jos Buttler failed to cash in on a promising start, edging on off Dhammika Prasad.

Moeen's hundred arrived in just 72 balls. But having been badly dropped in the deep by Jeevan Mendis on 72 off his namesake Ajantha, he eventually poked a simple return catch back to the leg-spinner.

England's bowlers earlier had to withstand an initial barrage from Dilshan and Kusal Perera (59), after Cook won the toss.

Dilshan hit 10 fours from 98 balls in a total which also featured a half-century from evergreen Mahela Jayawardene (55).

In the absence of front-line seamers Stuart Broad and James Anderson - missing this tour with knee injuries - and Steven Finn, who is recovering here from a groin niggle, England struggled to contain an opening stand of 122.

But after Perera was run out in a mix-up over a second run, the tourists made a precious double breakthrough when Moeen turned one sharply from round the wicket to have veteran left-hander Kumar Sangakkara lbw - confirmed via DRS.

Dilshan ensured Sri Lanka were still perfectly placed when they took a slightly early powerplay on 179 for two, Jayawardene having survived a half-chance on seven off James Tredwell when Morgan could not quite hang on to what would have been a spectacular catch diving to his left at midwicket.

Chris Woakes and Harry Gurney had found life tough with the new ball, but acquitted themselves well in the powerplay.

Woakes' reward was the wicket of Dilshan to a return catch from a leading edge.

Tredwell had bowled nine canny overs for just 37 runs, before his highly eventful 10th.

The second delivery brought what seemed a costly slip by Ben Stokes at long-on, his fumble allowing Mathews to get back on strike for a two - and he then hit the next two balls for six.

But the Sri Lanka captain's bid for a hat-trick of maximums foundered when Stokes held his nerve under a high ball at long on.

Tredwell then strangled Jayawardene caught-behind down the leg-side, and it was he instead on a hat-trick - a curiosity feat he must try to complete in England's next match.

For the second time in the innings, England had taken two wickets in quick succession - an effective stalling mechanism, until late hitting from Jeevan Mendis helped to plunder an ultimately telling 54 in the last five overs.